Exotic animal trade explodes as global demand for reptiles rises

Reptiles now dominate Kenya’s legal export market with exports nearly doubling between 2013 and 2023. [File, Standard]

Snakes, crocodiles, tortoises, chameleons and other reptiles are victims of a booming global wildlife trade, as Kenya records a sharp rise in the export of captive-bred and ranched wild animals over the last decade.

The concerns come barely weeks after officers from the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and customs officials intercepted a python being smuggled through the Namanga border from Tanzania into Kenya.